Tuesday, March 24, 2009

Today’s Response
Middle Tennessee State University

“Are you really just a shadow of the man that I once knew?”—from “Doctor Wu” by Steely Dan

How do you teach students the art of filmmaking? By letting them make a film. But how do you pay for it? With a national economic recession and the threat of budget cuts hitting close to home, Dr. Bob Pondillo, electronic media communication, is going viral and asking for donations to pay for it online. Pondillo is the writer and director of “The New, True Charlie Wu,” a movie made with an all-MTSU student crew. The film is now in post-production. It’s “the story of a young man caught in a job he hates,” says Pondillo. He compensates for his malaise through conspicuous consumption, thinking that things can “fill the hole in his heart,” as Pondillo puts it. To contribute, go to www.youandcharliewu.com. For each dollar contributed, the donor gets a point. The more points the donor gets, the more prestigious the mention in the credits.

Contact Pondillo at 615-904-8465.
pondillo@mtsu.edu

Cal Worthington and his dog, Spot, won’t work.

If your industry’s reputation was as compromised as the auto industry’s reputation, would you continue to advertise? Dr. Don Roy, management and marketing, says many General Motors dealers wish the company would put some sort of message into the marketplace. “The ‘buy now’ messages that historically have dominated this industry must be balanced with reinforcing quality and trust perceptions,” Roy says. “Of course, customer-friendly pricing and incentives would not hurt, either. Consumer confidence is shaky; marketers in all industries cannot pretend otherwise. Addressing it head-on through advertising is the right thing to do to restore confidence.”

Contact Roy at615-904-8564.
droy@mtsu.edu

Fit and fabulous

Murfreesboro Mayor Tommy Bragg is slated to sign a proclamation commemorating Athletic Training Month today, March 24, at 9:30 a.m. at City Hall. Dr. Helen Binkley, health and human performance, says, “With the growing number of sports participants in high school and recreational activity, it is important that the public become aware of the athletic training profession. Nationally, only 42 percent of public high schools have access to athletic trainers.” Binkley notes that athletic trainers are different from personal trainers. “Athletic trainers have higher educational and certification requirements than personal trainers, who typically focus solely on fitness and conditioning,” she says.

Contact Binkley at 615-904-8192.
hbinkley@mtsu.edu

TR EXTRA

ORDER IN THE COURT--Judge Martha Craig Daughtrey of the U.S. Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals will lecture on “Judicial Independence in Jeopardy: The First Amendment and the Culture Wars” at 1 p.m. on Thursday, March 26, in the State Farm Lecture Hall of the Business and Aerospace Building. This event is free and open to the public and cosponsored by the Distinguished Lecture Fund and by the Women’s Studies Program. For more information, contact Dr. John Vile, dean of the University Honors College, at 615-898-2152.

LIBERTY BELL—The author of numerous critically acclaimed and influential books on the politics of race, gender, class and culture, bell hooks (lower case is correct) will speak at 4 p.m. today, March 24, at MTSU’s Keathley University Center Theater. This event is free and open to the public. “Feminism Forever: Continuing the Struggle” is the title of hooks’ talk. A reception and booksigning will follow. For more information about this National Women’s History Month event, contact the June Anderson Women’s Center at 615-898-2193 or jawc@mtsu.edu.

“MY SEXUALITY HAS NEVER BEEN A PROBLEM TO ME, BUT I THINK IT HAS BEEN FOR OTHER PEOPLE.”—DUSTY SPRINGFIELD--“Sexuality” is the theme of the 2009 Interdisciplinary Conference in Women’s Studies at MTSU, which is slated for Thursday and Friday, March 26-27, in Cantrell Hall in MTSU’s Tom H. Jackson Building. Learned scholars from across the country, as well as the Netherlands and the Czech Republic, will present research on topics representing the vast panoply of perspectives on sexuality, including biology, culture, and sexuality; sex trafficking; feminism and sexuality; and gender construction and sexuality. “At MTSU, we have an inclusive definition of diversity,” says Dr. Kaylene Gebert, Executive Vice President and Provost. “The Women’s Studies Program and this conference give the campus and the community and opportunity to hear national speakers and scholars who focus on contemporary issues.” For more information, go to www.mtsu.edu/womenstu, or contact the Women’s Studies Program at 615-898-5910 or womenstu@mtsu.edu.

FARM FAIR--The first-ever MTSU School of Agribusiness and Agriscience Career Fair will be held from 9:30 a.m. until 3 p.m. tomorrow, March 25 on the first floor of the Stark Agriculture Building. The ag program has nearly 400 students in three majors: animal science, including horse science; plant science; and agribusiness. The Student Agriculture Council, agribusiness and agriscience faculty and staff and the Career Development Center are serving as hosts of the ABAS Career Fair. The fair is for MTSU students only. Participants should bring updated copies of their resumes and professional attire is strongly encouraged. For more information, contact Nicole Green, career coordinator for the College of Basic and Applied Sciences, at 615-494-8797.

THE REST OF THE STORY--The Muslim Student Association at MTSU will sponsor “Palestine, the Untold Side of the Story” from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. tonight, March 24, in the State Farm Lecture Hall in the Business and Aerospace Building. The sessions will be followed by questions and answers and are free and open to the public. Refreshments will be provided. For more information, contact Dr. Saleh Sbenaty at 615-898-2966 or ssbenaty@mtsu.edu.